OIL + LOVE // A guide to hydration and self care.

Nucifera Body

January 12, 2017

Ah… the joys of winter skin. Dry. Dull. Itchy. Irritated. Or maybe your one of the lucky ones whose skin don’t seem to be affected much by the weather. (Enjoy! We were there too when we were teenagers!)

As you age, and as the weather changes you lose moisture. At some point in your life you will most likely experience dry skin. Even people with oily skin may benefit from a simple moisturizing routine, because if you don’t stay properly moisturized your skin is then forced to produce more oil. A high quality oil used on your skin is good for just about everyone!

But there is a trick to moisturizing skin that goes beyond the product you use, and that is HOW you use it. To thoroughly moisturize you must have oil and water. Some of the most effective moisturizing products on the market contain both. The problem with moisturizing products that contain water is that then you have a whole new set of problems with product development. The introduction of water requires emulsifiers and preservatives because with water comes more potential for bacteria growth. Yes, there are natural ways to do this, but it is much less straight forward and it gets complicated.

Our entire philosophy is to simplify - to minimize the products you use, and the unnecessary ingredients they contain. Less is more when you have a clean + high quality skin care regimen.

With much trial and error on our own skin we developed a product intended to be effective, easy to use and easily absorbed. But how to make it work even better?

Here’s how, and here’s to adapting a new and effective moisturizing routine!

DRY BRUSHING // Oil absorbs better on a well exfoliated body. Dry brushing daily (or every other day) helps increase circulation, stimulates your lymphatic system, wards off dead skin cells and clears blocked pores. Don’t overthink this. Gently brush up from your feet to your heart all over your body. You can take as much or as little time as you have doing this. Our favorite brush is the Pursoma Jute Dry Brush.

MOISTURIZE BEFORE GETTING WET // Yes, we’re telling you to moisturize before you get into the shower. Try using just plain coconut oil. Don’t think of it as moisturizing though - this is actually your moment for self massage. Time to check in, loosen your muscles and cramps, maybe stretch a little while your doing it. Try to breath deeply and just get into it! It feels so so good. Take as little or as much time as you have.

SHOWER OR BATH // If this is your morning cleansing routine - try a cold shower. It sounds crazy and potentially awful, but taking a cold shower in the morning is the ultimate way to wake up. It's invigorating, energizing, refreshing and a great way to boost metabolism and pump yourself up for the day. Hot water really drys out the skin and it is especially drying in shower form. Have you ever gotten out of a piping hot shower and felt like your skin looks beat up? Well, it kind of is… especially if you don’t have a great filter on your shower. TRY IT COLD.

And if your taking a bath? Well, you know what to do. Fill it with detoxifying mineral salts and essential oils and SINK IN. A daily bath is a beautiful luxury that can’t be replaced.

DON’T DRY OFF // Don’t dry off completely. When using an oil based moisturizer like The Balm - you really want to have some moisture on your body to help lock that oil in. Think about emulsifying oil + water in the kitchen. It's the same idea. Oil will just sit on the surface unless it is properly emulsified. Leaving your skin damp is the way to do this on your body and it makes getting dressed easier because you won’t be oily.

Gently blot your skin dry with a towel and then spend a few minutes rubbing it all in. This is where we like to use The Balm or other clean oils that are lightly scented with essential oils.

Why go through all of this? Especially if you don’t suffer from dry skin? This is where the love part comes in (or if you want to be fancy - abhyanga).

In Ayurvedic tradition there is no greater expression of self-love than anointing ourselves from head to toe with warm (or in this case room temperature) oil. The term actually translates to both ‘oil’ and ‘love’. Giving yourself this routine is the ultimate form of self care. Yes, it will change your skin, change your mood, and maybe change your life.